There's a lot of marketing aimed at uninsured young people

A bowl of free items is shown in a tent set up by Generation Opportunity, a conservative organization getting students to opt out of President Barack Obama's new health law., outside before a college football game in Miami Gardens, Fla.

The so-called “young invincibles” are so important to the success of the Affordable Care Act that both supporters and opponents are spending millions to reach them with racy ads, social media campaigns and celebrity endorsements. The president is even asking their mothers to help convince them to sign up for insurance.

The federal government and states running their own exchanges have launched marketing efforts for this crucial demographic of healthy young adults, but it’s unclear if the messages are getting through.

According to a recent Harvard survey, many are undecided.

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A poll by Harvard’s Institute of Politics shows about 40 percent of people between the ages of 18 and 29 are on the fence about whether to sign up, with the rest split fairly evenly between those likely to enroll and those who probably won’t.

The survey of 2,000 young adults was conducted from Oct. 30 to Nov. 11, after the first month of enrollment on the health care exchanges and when sign-up problems were at their peak.

Consisting of healthy college students and twenty-somethings, the so-called “young invincible” demographic is the holy grail of the Affordable Care Act. Insurers need their participation to offset the costs of covering older, sicker Americans. If enough young people decide not to buy insurance through state or federal marketplaces, it could throw off the market’s equilibrium and cause insurance rates to rise dramatically.

Federal officials haven’t released demographic information on who’s enrolled so far, so it’s not clear how many young people have signed up.

Ad campaigns in many states are courting undecided young adults. In Colorado, a nonprofit group created a series of provocative “got insurance?” ads. One features a blonde standing next to a life-sized cut-out of celebrity heartthrob Ryan Gosling with the caption, “Hey girl, you’re excited about easy access to birth control and I’m excited about getting to know you. She got insurance.”

Another touting “Brosurance” encourages men doing a keg stand not to tap into their beer money to cover medical bills.

Arizona and Utah ads targeting weekend warriors and other athletes note the risks of getting hurt without health insurance.

In 2012, 18 million 19 to 34-year-olds lacked insurance — 27 percent of all people in that age group, according to U.S. census data.

The Obama administration is making the rounds on college campuses to encourage people to sign up and has enlisted celebrities including Lady Gaga and Kerry Washington in its Get Covered social media campaign.

The president himself recently told a group of mothers visiting the Oval Office that: “Moms can tell young people who think they’re invincible that they’re not and prod them to at least get information.”

On the other side of the aisle, groups that oppose the health overhaul such as Generation Opportunity are spreading their message at college tailgate parties. The organization gained a following after disturbing-by-design social media videos featuring a creepy Uncle Sam popping up at gynecological and proctology exams went viral. The tagline urged young adults to keep big government out of their personal health decisions.

The group’s recent tailgate party at the University of Miami had all the markings of the South Beach club scene: hired glossy-haired models handing out swag, free alcohol and a sea of sweaty twenty-somethings bumping and grinding to a live DJ.

Mette Jensen, a 22-year-old student, says she supports “Obamacare” even though she signed a petition against it.